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Horror is all about fun!

“Silent Hill Book of Memories is looking to be a very fun game as I expected. Remember folks, games are meant to be fun as well as enthralling. They can encompass a whole range of emotions -not just despair and darkness. Sometimes, fun is just fun.” – Jeremy Blaustein.

Games are meant to be fun!

Except of course, when they aren’t. Unless you stretch the definition of fun to include Schindler’s List. Please don’t do that, it’s annoying.

Games are sometimes meant to be fun, and sometimes, games have lots of fun (fun!) sections and setpieces, and you know, that’s all fine.

Horror on the other hand, isn’t all about the fun (fun fun!). Silent Hill never really used to focus on creating something fun, it used to be about creating an engaging experience. It used to be a horror series. Horror defies the usual gaming tropes, horror games both need to not be about fun to create the right atmosphere, and they also need to take themselves seriously.

Please, go ahead and argue that it doesn’t matter because it’s not a main title, or that it’s really a great game because it’ll bring more people to good horror and great games in the end, but please, don’t tell me games are meant to fun.

Films can be fun, but some of them aren’t, some of them engage.

Books can be fun, but some of them aren’t, some of them take us on an emotional rollercoaster.

Games can be fun, but some of them make us morose for two weeks after witnessing the breakdown of a man’s sanity.

Games can be made, that aren’t meant to be fun, and there is nothing wrong with it. In fact, it should be celebrated. Most of my favourite games (and films, and books) are ones that aren’t meant to be fun, but are meant to be engaging, or sad, or uplifting, or to say something about the human condition.

Once again, thanks to Silent Haven for once again bringing something to my attention.